Pressing machine



July 25, 1950 s. GOLDSTEIN 2,515,695

PRESSING MACHINE Filed June 24. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

July 25, 1950 s. GOLDSTEIN 2,515,695

PRESSING MACHINE Filed June 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 J5 58 5 2 {.2 W 2 4. 1 .92 35 47 54 34 78a 24 45 5 y -53 1 I ag 78 I 1 L H I1 34/ ii 75 I77 "WI. Ll 46 INVENTOR.

;. 3 66 /77 72 75. Jamaal A Trap/V5) Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE PRESS ING MACHINE Samuel Goldstein, New York, N. Y. Application June 24, 1947, Serial No. 756,749

3 Claims. 1,

This invention relates to pressing machines of the character used for pressing articles of wearing apparel or portions thereof, and has for its main object the provision of a machine of this character which will effectively perform the functions for which it is intended with a minimum of manual efiort on the part of the operator.

In machines of this character, an example of which isshown in my Patent No. 2,197,613, dated April 16, 1940, means is provided for applying a vacuum or suction to the interior of the buck upon which the article to be pressed is supported, for the prompt removal of the moisture from the garment upon lifting movement of the pressing iron. In most machines of this character, including that disclosed in the above-mentioned patent, the valve controlling vacuum operation is operated by means supplementary to the foot treadle employed for lowering the pressingiron. The supplementary means for operating the valve requires certain manual adjustment, and the result is that a careless operator very often fails to operate the vacuum control so that ineflicient and unsatisfactory operation of the machine is often had.

An important object therefore, of the present invention is to provide means for automatically controlling the vacuum valve so that said valve will be held closed when the pressing iron is lowered down upon the buck and said valve will be automatically opened when the treadle is caused to rise to elevate the pressing iron. ,The result of this arrangement is that a vacuum is automatically exerted through the buck at the proper time, namely, when the iron is moved away from the buck and at all other times the vacuum is shut off by the closure of its control valve, the closure thereof being controlled by the descent of the treadle.

Another object of the invention is to provide,

open position; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken" on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in'the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the treadle in lowered position and the vacuum-control valve in closed position, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line -,44 of Fig. 3, looking in the directionof the arrows.

The elements of the machine are either mounted in or supported by the frame which insuitable source of heat, and is provided with an.

cludes a horizontal top or table portion l, sides 2, supporting feet 3 and a frontbar ID, the entire frame or parts thereof being preferably but not necessarily castings. Mounted above the top'of the table I on the bracket or other support 6, is the buck 4, which may be of anysuitable shape to effectively accommodate the garment or portions of the garment or other article to be pressed. The buck 4 is of hollow construction and is formed with an upper chamber 5 and a lower steam chamber 1. The top of the buck is provided with a plurality of perforations 8 through. which moisture may pass to enter the chamber 5. Leading into the lower chamber 1 is a pipe or tube 9 through which steam, emanating from a suitable source, enters the chamber 1, and heats, the buck, the condensation passing out of the buck through a pipe or tube ll.

Mounted above the buck is a pressing iron l2, which is heated by steam, gas, electricity or other operating handle I3, the iron being universally pivoted at M in the end of a bar l5 .slidably mounted in an arm IS. The arm I6 is pivoted on a vertical pivot in the end of a pivoted pressure-arm I8, said arm l8 beingv pivotally' mounted at H) in bosses provided in upstanding;

portions 20 on the frame of the machine. V

The arm [8 has its lower end pivotally connected at 2| to one end of a short link 22 which has its opposite end pivoted at 23 to one end of a lever 24.

formed on the underside of the top I of the ,frame. .Near one of its ends, the lever 24 is pivotally connected at 25 to the upper end of a link 29 which has its lower end pivoted at 30 to a treadle 3|. At its rear end, the treadle 3| is formed with a clevis 32 pivotally supported from, the bosses 34 onthe sides 2 of the frame near the base thereof. A spring 35 has one endextending through an eye 36 on the underside of the top I of the frame, and has its other end connected to the pin 31 secured in the end of the lever 24 near the pivot 25.

wardly on an upward arc to cause arm It to bring the pressing iron I2 downwardly toward the At 39 is shown an adjusting link which' has one of its ends pivotally connected at to the da-r;

Lever 24 is pivoted between its ends: at 25a, to the lower end of a suspension link 26, having its upper end pivoted at 21 in bearing 28 3 pendent link 26 at a point between the pivots 25a and 21.

The opposite end of adjusting link 39 receives the threaded end 4| of an adjusting screw which is freely rotatably mounted in the front bar H) of the machine and in a bracket member 4'! secured to the front bar It) and is provided with a handwheel 43 located at the front of the machine above the foot plate 38 of the treadle so that it is convenient for manipulation, whenever desired.

It will be obvious that by rotation of the hand wheel 43, the threaded end 4| moving through the end of the adjusting link 39 may move the adjusting link longitudinally either to or from the front of the machine. When the adjusting link 39 is moved toward the front of the machine by rotation of hand wheel 43, it will swing the lin 26 on its pivot 21 in the same direction, this action tending to exert a similar pull on lever 24, which, through its connection with the lower nd f arm 18 th h link 221. will tend. to swin said arm |8 on its pivot IS in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the pressing iron |2 will be elevated and adjusted in a direc ion away irom the buck, Thus, when pressure is applied on the treadle 38 to lower the iron It, a lighter pressureoi the pressing iron l2 on. he buck will take place.

When the adjusting Wheel 43 is rotated in a direction Opposite to that just described or in other words, away ,from the front of the machine, a reverse action occurs. That is to say, the pressn iron is brought cl s r to the up er f ce of th buck n reate pres ur o the iron thereon will follow when the treadle 3| is depressed. Thus, by simple manipulation of the hand wheel 43, conveniently located at the, front of the machine, adjustment of the pressure imposed by the pr ssin iron l2. upon th uck. an b a A spring 44 surrounds the adjusting screw 4| and exerts friction to hold the screw in any set posio of adj tment.

When the foot plate 38 of the treadle is depressed, means is provided for holding the treadle in such depressed position, as shown in Fig. l, for any desired period of time, Such means includes a gravitywper d la ch m be 5. p voted at 45 at its upper end in supporting member 41, secured on the front bar H! of the machine. Said latch member 45 is provided at its lower end with the rod 43 arranged to have its lower end 43 engage one or the other of the notches 50 provided on the top of the treadle 3| to hold the tr ad in. its depressed position. w the treadle .31, is depressed as shown in Fig. 3 by foot pressure imposed on the foot plate 38, latch member 45 will swing by gravity toward the right, when viewed as. in Fig. 3, and the lower end 49 will engage in one or the other of the notches 50 on the treadle 3|, the notch engaged being determined by the thickness of the goods then being pressed. When the latch member 45 so.en-. gages one of the notches and is in position shown n Fis- 3., i will hold the tr adle down or in its p ess d p it on as long as esired by t e o erator.

For releasing the latch member, I Provide a bellcrank lever which is pivoted at 52 between the walls of the sl t 53 Iormed in tr adle 3 a the foot plate 38 thereon. The bell-crank lever 5| is formed with an upwardly extending weighted end carrying a roller 54 which rides against a downwa l -ex g ice o plate 55 P ovided on the latch member 45. lever 5| has another arm 56 formed with an up- Be lr nk B8 is pivoted at 61.

4 turned end terminating in a button 51 movable through an opening 53 formed in the foot plate 38 of treadle 3|. When foot plate 38 is depressed, the foot of the operator at the same time extends over and so depresses button 51 and this serves to swin the weighted end 54 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1, to permit the latch member 45 to also swing toward the right by gravity and engage one of the notches 5B.

When it is desired to permit the treadle 3| to rise and correspondingly move the pressing iron l2 away from the buck, the foot plate 38 of the treadle (but not button 51) is pressed downwardly near its free end for a slight distance, to permit the end 49 of the latch member to swing toward the left under pressure of the rollercarrying end 54 of the bell-crank lever 5|, thus releasing the end 49 of the latch member from its engagement with one of the notches 50, and enabling the treadle 3| to be drawn upward under the pull of the spring 35.

It will thus be clear that by foot pressure imposed on the foot plate 38, at the same time depressing the button 51, the treadle 3| will be forced downward to its lowered position, shown in Fig, 3, which action causes the pressing iron l2 to descend upon the buck with pressure governed by the regulating screw 4|. The latch member 45 automatically engaging one of the notches 50, will hold the treadle in its depressed position as long as desired until the free end of the treadle is depressed, permitting the latch member to swing free of its engagement with the notch 50 under the pressure of the weighted end 54 of lever 5|.

The upper chamber '5 of the buck 4 is connected to apipe 60 having its lower end connected to a valve chamber 6|, in which valve 62 is mounted. A pipe or tube 63 connects the valve chamber with a suitable vacuum pump or other suction-creating means. Valve 62 is provided with a stem 64 which extends out of chamber El and within the chamber 6| the stem 64 is surrounded by spring 65 serving to normally hold valve 52 in closed position, thereby closing communication between chamber .5 and the vacuum p mp.

The valve chamber 6| is provided with a bracket portion 66 in which a bell-crank lever Said bell-crank lever 68 includes a forked arm 69 which fits around the valve stem 64 and is operative against the nut 10 thereon to open the valve 62 against the pressure of the spring 55. The second arm ll of the bell-crank lever 68 takes the laterally projecting end l2 of the arm of a bell-crank lever 13 pivoted on the pivot pin 46. The second arm of the bell-crank lever 13 is pivoted at 14 to one end of a two-part toggle link 15 which has its opposite end pivoted at 2| to the lower end of the arm 18. The result of this arrangement is that when the treadle 3| is elevated under the pull of the spring 35, and the lower end of the arm l8 swings forwardly or toward the right in Figs. 1 and 3, the link 15 imparts a push upon bell-crank I3 swinging it on its pivot 46 and cansing its laterallyeextending end 12 to swing downwardly. The downward swing of the end 12 of the bell-crank 13 causes downward pressure to \be imparted on the arm "H of the bell-crank lever 68 and the second arm thereof, indicated at 69, will then exert a pull on the valve stem 84 to drawthe valve 62 to open position.

Aslong' as the treadle is in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 3', the valve 62 will be held open,

unless the operator purposely desires the valve to be closed, such as when the machine is not being used or when for any reason he purposely does not desire suction to be exerted through the holes 8 in the buck. In such case, while the treadle is in its raised position, the operator depresses the button 51, and this action will cause a lifter rod 11 carried by the lever 5| to have its free end 18a raised and to contact the toggle link 15. It will be noted that the toggle link 15 has a pivot 18 between its ends, and when the lifter rod 11 is moved upwardly in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, it will engage the longer or rear portion of the link 15 and will break or buckle the link 15 at its pivotal point 18, thus shortening the effective length of the link 15 and permitting the bell-crank lever 13 to swing clockwisely, as viewed in Fig. 1, and allowing the bell-crank lever 68 to swing counter-clockwise and the valve 62 to close under pressure of its spring 65 and to remain closed until the treadle is depressed and then permitted to rise.

The construction described is such that each time that the treadle 3| is depressed by foot pressure imposed upon the foot plate 38, the parts will be placed in the positions shown in Fig. 3, wherein it will be noted that the valve 62 will, at that time, be in its closed position since the pressing iron I2 is then engaged in the pressing operation and it is not desirable to then be exerting suction through the holes 8 in the buck. When the treadle is permitted to be raised, which action will cause the pressing iron I2 to be elevated and will cause the lower end of the arm 18 to swing toward the right, the link 15 acts as a push rod to swing bell-crank 13 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the laterally extending end 12 of the bell-crank 13 depressing the arm 1| of the bell-crank 68, causing the second arm 69 thereof to exert a thrust on the valve stem 64 to bring the valve to open position. As long as the treadle remains in raised position, the valve 62 will remain open as described, unless the operator desires the valve to be closed, such as during periods of non-use of the machine. In such event, a light touch of the foot upon the button 51 will cause lifter rod 11 to be elevated and it will break or buckle the link 15 on its pivot 13, thus permitting bell-crank levers 13 and 68 to swing in opposite directions under the thrust of the valve spring 65 and the valve to close.

The operation of the device i such that the suction-creating means is automatic and each time that the pressing is taking place, while the treadle is in its depressed position, the suction control valve 62 will be in its closed position. When the pressing operation is completed and the treadle is raised the valve 62 will be opened and will remain open while the treadle i in raised position, unless the operator desires to allow it to close, when as previously pointed out, a pressure exerted on the button 51 will cause that result.

The treadle 3| is provided with a bumper 80 which contacts with the lower end of the link 26, said lbumper being provided with a soft terminal portion Bl to contact with the end of link '26 as the treadle 3| rises.

While I have herein described one embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto. but is broad enough 6 to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressing machine, a buck, a pressing iron and means for moving it to and from the buck, said means including a treadle, the iron being carried by a pivotal arm which is pivotally connected to the treadle, suction-creating means connected to the buck and including a control valve, spring means for normally holding the valve closed, a pivoted member for opening the valve, a second pivoted member operative thereon to cause the first pivoted member to open the valve, a link connecting the arm and second pivoted member and operative to move said pivoted member to a position to cause opening of the valve only when the treadle is in a raised position, a pedal carried by the treadle and 0perative upon the link when the treadle is in a raised position to shorten the effective length of the link and allow the pivoted members to swing to positions to allow closing of the valve by its spring means.

2. In a pressing machine, a buck, a pressing iron mounted above the buck, means for supporting the iron and moving it to and from the buck, means coupled to the buck for exerting a vacuum within the buck, said vacuum-exerting means including a control valve, a treadle for causing the iron to be moved to and from the buck, linkage extending from said treadle to the control valve to open said valve when the treadle is raised, a spring for closing the valve while the treadle is depressed to bring the iron against the buck, the treadle being provided with an independently movable pivoted foot-controlled pedal adapted to be depressed to optionally render the linkage ineffective to open the valve when the treadle is in its raised position.

3. In a pressing machine, a buck, a pressing iron mounted above the buck, a pivoted arm for supporting the iron and moving it to or from the buck, a treadle pivotally connected to the arm and adapted to be depressed to bring the iron toward the buck, means coupled to the buck for exerting a vacuum within the same, said vacuum-exertin means including a control valve, valve-opening means coupled to the treadle, a spring for maintaining the valve in closed position while the treadle is in a depressed position, the valve-opening means causing opening of the valve against the force of the spring while the treadle is in a raised position, and a supplemental valve control including a foot-operated pedal pivoted on the treadle, and means connected to said pedal by which the valve-opening means will be rendered inefiective to hold the valve open and will permit the valve to close under the impulse of said spring when the pedal is depressed while the treadle is in a raised position.

SAMUEL GOLDS'I'EIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,556,625 Pomeroy Oct. 13, 1925 1,686,266 Cohen Oct. 2, 1928 1,699,310 Prachar Jan. 15,1929 2,197,61 oldstein "Mm-- Apr. 16, 194.9 

